¯¯
Stairway to...?
31 Jan-10 May 2026
Kunsthal KAdE, Netherlands
Ladders and stairs are made for one purpose: to span heights. Their simple shapes and clean lines make them not only practical, but often visually appealing. They literally take us up and down, but also symbolize growth, change and ambition. Sometimes we quietly climb step by step, sometimes we stumble, and sometimes we just look for a way out.
Ladders are more than a tool or a metaphor for success. They tell the story of transformation and of the human quest between the earthly and the higher. They appear often in myths and stories, such as Jacob's ladder, which depicts the connection between man and the divine. The social ladder shows how people try to move forward, often with bumps and opportunities along the way. We also know the escalation and de-escalation ladder, which show how small steps in the right or wrong direction have major consequences for relationships and conflicts. And then there is the escape ladder: a symbol of hope and new beginnings.
This family exhibition, Stairway to...?, featuring more than 40 artists, shows how ladders and stairs have continued to inspire artists and designers for generations. The exhibition was inspired by the war memorial ‘The Ladder' by Armando.
Participating Artists:
Simone Albers | Nora Aurrekoetxea | Tanya Aguiñiga | Armando | Lucienne Bestall | William Blake | Ricardo Brey | Yoann Bourgeois | Kevin van Braak | Elsemarijn Bruys | Çai Guo Qiang | Koos Buster | Stephen Dean | Elmgreen & Dragset | M.C. Escher | Albert Fiks | Frank Halmans | Hans Hemmert | Niels Hoebers | Jordanus Hoorn | Thomas Huber | Joost Hutjes | Richard Hutten | Rein Jansma | Isaac Julien | Arthur Kleinjan | Pyke Koch | Rebecca Lillich & Ahmad Mallah | Bart Lunenburg | Jorge Macchi | Adeline de Monseignat | studio MOTO | Eva Nielsen | Constant Nieuwenhuis | Erwin Olaf | Anton Pieck | André Pielage | Giovanni Battista Piranesi | Adrian Paci | Art van Triest | Jaap Veenendaal | Helen Verhoeven | Jan die Wael | Jan Hendrik Weissenbruch | Balder Westein | Johan de Wit | Michael Wolf | John Wood & Paul Harrison
